Chorley

Chorley's population increased by about 6,700 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population reached nearly 110,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Chorley increased by 6.7%, from just over 100,000 to 107,000.

The addition of just over 6,700 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Chorley was home to, on average, 3.8 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was similar to the average across the North West

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the North West, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Chorley

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Chorley increased by two years, from 39 to 41 years.

This area had a higher average age than the North West and remained slightly older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of about 4,100 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 2,000.

About 13.0% of people in Chorley are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Chorley by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Chorley

The percentage of Chorley residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 3.2% to 4.1% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under 1 in 13 (7.4%) reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities, compared with 7.7% in 2001. The percentage of Chorley residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 88.5%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 3.7% in 2001 to 4.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Chorley

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Chorley was among those who said they had no religion, rising 8.1 points.

In 2011, 17.2% of respondents in Chorley gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 9.1% of those who answered in 2001.

Across the North West, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion that described themselves as having no religion increased from 10.5% to 19.8%, while across England the percentage went from 14.5% to 24.6%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Chorley, 75.3% said they were Christian, compared with 84.0% in 2001. About 0.0% said they were Sikh, compared with 0.1% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and did not state their religion decreased from 5.6% to 5.6%.

In Chorley, 5.6% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, the same percentage as in 2001. In North West, 6.2% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population without a religion in Chorley increased by 8.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, North West and Chorley by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Chorley that rented privately increased from 4.8% to 10.2% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over one in eight (13.0%) households lived in social housing, compared with 14.3% in 2001. The percentage of Chorley households that owned their home decreased from 78.5% to 75.2%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 8.5% in 2001 to 15.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 16.9%.

Private renting in Chorley increased by 5.4 percentage points

Percentage of households in Chorley, the North West and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing relationships in Chorley

The percentage of adults in Chorley that were married decreased from 54.7% to 50.4% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over 3 in 10 (30.2%) people aged 16 and over said they were single, compared with 26.4% in 2001. The percentage of adults in Chorley that had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased from 11.0% to 12.4%.

The proportion of married people fell here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 49.8% in 2001 to 45.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 50.6% to 46.6%.

The proportion of married people was higher than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Chorley residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 9.6% to 5.5% between the last two censuses.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (81.2%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 69.1% in 2001. The percentage of Chorley residents that described their health as fair decreased from 21.3% to 13.3%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 11.0% in 2001 to 6.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Chorley decreased by 4.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Chorley, the North West and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Chorley working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 13.5% to 9.9% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.8%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.6% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 11.1% in 2001 to 8.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13.0% to 10.1%.

Long hour working in Chorley decreased by 3.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Chorley, the North West and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

More people living alone

The percentage of households in Chorley, which comprised one person, increased from 27.1% to 28.3% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under one in nine (10.8%) households had an unmarried couple, compared with 8.7% in 2001. The percentage of households in Chorley which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 43.0% to 37.9%.

The proportion of one-person households increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 30.9% in 2001 to 32.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage remained close to 30.3%.

The percentage of households with only one person was lower than across the North West

Percentage of households that comprised only one person across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Ethnicity in Chorley

In 2011, 96.9% of Chorley residents said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, making it the most common ethnicity in this local authority area. The population from these groups has increased from 97.9% in 2001.

Across the North West, the percentage of people from one of the White ethnic groups fell from 94.4% to 90.2%, while across England the percentage went from 90.7% to 85.1%.

Around 1.6% of people in Chorley said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, compared with 1.1% in 2001. About 1.0% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 0.6% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 0.3% to 0.4%.

The population from one of the White ethnic groups in Chorley remained close to 96.9%

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Chorley by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Chorley with only adult children living with their parents decreased from 10.9% to 10.3% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (29.4%) households had at least one dependent child, compared with 30.9% in 2001. The percentage of households in Chorley without children increased from 58.3% to 60.3%.

The proportion of households with adult children living with their parents fell here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (which remained close to 10.4%). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.4% to 9.6%.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was lower than across the North West

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Chorley residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 2.0% to 2.6% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, 1.5% of reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week, compared with 1.2% in 2001.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North West (from 2.4% in 2001 to 2.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Chorley remained close to 2.6%

Percentage of usual residents in England, North West and Chorley by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in work life

The percentage of employed people changed very little in Chorley, while the proportion fell in Lichfield (one of the most statistically similar areas to Chorley based on ONS area classifications).

In Chorley, the proportion of employed people stayed close to 55.9% between the last two censuses. During the same period, the proportion in statistically similar Lichfield decreased from 55.5% to 53.1%.

Across the North West, the share of employed people increased from 50.6% to 51.4%.

The rate of unemployment in Chorley remained close to 3.2%, while the rate of self-employment increased from 8.4% to 9.1%.

The rate of employment was higher than across the North West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were employed across local authority areas in the North West and the average across England, March 2011

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Area report data

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